Agrarian Reform Policies in the Philippines

Agrarian Reform Policies

• Agrarian reform is a complex and often controversial program, usually facing opposition from vested interests. Problems are deeply rooted in history, representing a centuries-old issue.
• Philippine government has enacted agrarian reform programs for eight or nine decades. However, a significant gap exists between the legislative objectives and the actual implementation. Implementation has been slow due to factors like a lack of political will.
• Despite thousands of hectares redistributed to small farmers, land redistribution, overall, remains slow, even with President Duterte's efforts.
• The document highlights the issue of land disputes as a persistent social problem in Philippine society, tracing its roots back to the Spanish colonial era.

Definition of Agrarian Reform (Guide Card)

• Philippines remains largely agricultural, with agriculture as a primary source of livelihood for many Filipinos. Small farmers often struggle for their rights to land and resources.
• Historically, large landowners controlled resources, and the issue was prominent during American colonial rule.
• The Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law (RA 6657) is a significant recent legislative act.
• Very productive and fertile land remains in the hands of wealthy landowners.
• Agrarian reform focuses on rectifying the agricultural system, focusing on land distribution, relations between farmers and businesses, and modernizing practices.
• It encompasses measures to eliminate obstacles for economic and social progress, arising from problematic agrarian structures.
• The law aims to improve the overall conditions of the agrarian population.

Agrarian Reform History

• 16th-19th Century: Land ownership was distributed through Pueblo agriculture, with land owned by the King of Spain. Filipinos paid tributes and the Spanish awarded tracts to religious orders and encomenderos. Hacienda system developed in the 19th century as a new form of ownership. The 1860s saw peasants being forced from lands they claimed.
• Under American Rule: The Philippines Bill (1902) allowed for acquisition of land, and introduced the Torrens system to address land titles. The Public Land Act (1903) set up a homestead program allowing tenant farmers access to land. Land ownership remained problematic as there was no limit on land ownership.
• Post-WWII Reforms: President Roxas created the Land Settlement and Development Corporation (LASEDECO), later reformed under President Magsaysay to be the National Resettlement and Rehabilitation Administration (NARRA). Tenancy Act and Agri'l relations courts were initiatives to address tenancy issues and resolve related disputes. These efforts faced challenges due to inadequate funds and landowner resistance.
• Macapadal Agrarian Reform: R.A. 3844 involved abolishing share tenancy and converting tenants to leaseholders. It emphasized farm ownership by tenants and cultivators, and sought to support farmer independence and productive agricultural practices.
• Marcos Agrarian Reform: President Marcos introduced PD No. 27 to reform land distribution. The program emphasized the ownership of family-size farms, with restrictions on landowner holdings.
• Aquino Agrarian Reform: President Aquino enacted the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law (CARL) in 1988 to overhaul agrarian issues. The law mandated a re-distribution of land holdings and land ownership, setting out certain provisions like the limitation on land ownership. An issue persisted around valuing and assessing land in certain cases.
• Ramos Agrarian Reform: Amended certain provisions of CARP (like exemptions for fishponds and prawns), and extended the plan to include an additional funding budget.
• Estrada Agrarian Reform: Included support programs aimed at improving rural conditions.
• Macapagal-Arroyo Agrarian Reform: Sought to promote rural development and create economic opportunities in rural areas.
• Benigno Aquino III Agrarian Reform: Continued efforts to improve land distribution and provide support for farmers.
• Duterte Agrarian Reform: Focused on land distribution and support services for farmers as part of land ownership programs.

Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) Questions

• CARP is a program designed to redistribute agricultural land to landless farmers. This program also aims to achieve social justice and equitable land distribution.
• The 1998 Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law (CARL/RA 6657) broadened the scope of land ownership issues by including rural tracts of private agricultural land.
• The key aspects of CARP include land distribution to farmers, support services, equity in ownership, and increased productivity on agricultural lands.

This quiz explores the complex history and implementation of agrarian reform policies in the Philippines. It examines the challenges faced by small farmers and the social issues stemming from land disputes, tracing the roots back to the Spanish colonial era. Understand the legislative goals versus actual outcomes over decades of reform efforts.